Tears He Left Behind
by Fonbella
Summary: Twoshot; Cloud/Aerith; GMV; FF VI Crossover Sephiroth wasn't about to let her win so easily.


_~ Clover27 presents ~_

**Tears He Left Behind**

_Hello everybody. Here are some quick notes before you start reading. First, this is not exactly a fanfic. This is just a twoshot story created by me for one of my GMVs (Game Music Video). The link for the video is linked on my Profile, so please watch it. :) This story happens right after Advent Children and is focused on four characters: Cloud, Aerith, Terra and Sephiroth. It's a crossover with Final Fantasy VI. It's not necessary to play the game in order to understand this fic, but highly recommended since it is, in my opinion, the best Final Fantasy game released so far. The main pairing is Cloud/Aerith, but there are also hints of Terra/Cloud, Terra/Aerith, Sephiroth/Aerith, Sephiroth/Cloud and Sephiroth/Terra._

_Please, have in mind that English is not my mother tongue and grammatical mistakes might happen. xD I'm very fond of constructive criticism, so please don't be shy. Just don't bash me either, please. Remember, flames are different from concrits. Now, enjoy! _

_- Chapter 1: Aerith_

It all started two years ago, when Aerith died. Now, consumed by a passionate hatred towards the man and woman who sent him to the lifestream, Sephiroth smirks to a scared but brave Aerith. "You won't win in the end." He tells her through a slim, evil smile. "You're not going anywhere near Cloud", she says.

However, what could she do to stop him when she was dead? She needed to protect Cloud somehow. Someone to protect him in her place. That's right! That girl from the other world. She was strong enough to maintain Sephiroth far from Cloud. And she was caring and sweet at the same time. Just what Cloud needs to get over his depressive state.

In another world, Terra is involved by an eerie, green light. Some sort of river...! It's so bright she's forced to close her eyes, and when she opens it, she's floating above a lake. There was a man there too. Probably as shocked as she was that she suddenly appeared on a lake, totally out of the blue. He glares at her. She sighs. Wishing she could say something to him that would explain why she was brought here, she just shows him a green crystal, something a pretty lady gave her while she was engulfed in that green river. For some reason, he is silent. Did he know what that crystal is?

A week passes by quickly. Cloud brought her home, explained to her what was that small green crystal and whom it belonged to. She tried to ask him why that lady brought her here, but just by looking at him she knew he was asking himself the same question. He said that no matter what the reason was, if Aerith gave her the crystal, it's probably because Aerith is trying to tell him something, so he would keep her close by. At the bar, she met his childhood friend and a really nice kid - Tifa and Marlene. They were immediately captivated by Terra. The three girls were already friends.

But then one day-- Sephiroth! Cloud saw him! He was sure he saw his shadow behind Terra. Why was he here? What was he trying to do to her? As days passed by, Cloud was sure he was seeing Sephiroth more and more. As a lumbering shadow, always pursuing him. Why? Was he going crazy? Was Cloud imagining Sephiroth? Was it all an illusion?

Cloud was used to visit her grave at least once a week. It was the first time he was seeing Aerith ever since Terra showed up. Cloud tries to ask her why she brought Terra to him, but she never answers. What was she trying to do? Push another girl to him now that Aerith is not around anymore? He didn't need a new friend, a new lover. Cloud didn't need her flesh, he just wanted to have Aerith's warm soul next to him. Why couldn't she understand that? "I understand you want to help me, but she has nothing to do with me, with us. Return her home. Think about her feelings too, Aerith. I bet she wants to go home."

Why couldn't Cloud understand that Aerith just wanted to protect him?

As Aerith's soul leaves the lake and Cloud goes home, a flock of black feathers can be seen falling on the lake site. What could it be?

After so many times visiting the lake, Terra started to get more and more connected to the flower girl. Aerith told her everything. Sephiroth, her death, why she brought Terra here. "I see", she said. "Don't worry, I'll protect him. I'll take care of him". Terra smiled to Aerith. However, no matter what she tried to do, Cloud would never let go of his past. "But I need your help. Help me to help him." She lifts the green crystal. Small, white lights start to involve Aerith? What-- What was Terra doing? Aerith, she was--

Cloud drives faster to the lake. He could feel a strong presence there. He was sure of it, it was Sephiroth! But when he gets off his bike, he finds Terra. Why was she here? Did Aerith have something to do with it? His blood is boiling with anger. Just when he was starting to accept Aerith's plans, to accept Terra as a member of their family - Tifa, Cloud, Aerith and Marlene, she ruins everything. So Terra and Aerith were really plotting something. Did it have anything to do with him getting better? God, why can't they see he was already happy in his own way? He didn't need any more meddling!

But Terra won't let him think straight. Just as he was about to scold her, she comes closer, and closer... She was going to kiss him? "Don't you dare." He tries to say. He was Aerith's. No matter what they had plotted together, he wasn't going to let her do it.

Too late.

Why? Why Aerith herself would want Cloud to betray her? Weren't they lovers? With eyes wide open, Cloud gets even more shocked when her soft lips feels so familiar. It can't be... It's her! It's Aerith! She was inside Terra's body? Is that why Terra kissed him? So that he could have one last kiss from his deceased lover?

"It's okay, Cloud." Aerith says as she transforms back to Terra. "Do you understand know?" She asks him. And yes, he does. Just because Aerith wants him to move on, doesn't mean he needs to forget her as he previously thought. She just wants him to have a normal life. A family, a wife, kids, then die.

And of course, the three of them knew, Terra wasn't there to assume that role. Terra was there to make him understand Aerith's plans, not to become his new girlfriend. None of the three wanted that.

"Let's go home, Terra."

_- To be continued._

_Now that you have finished reading, please don't forget to check the video link on my profile and, of course, to review. Thanks for reading!_


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